Hi everyone. I'm quite happy to be writing another RaiKim story. Unfortunately, my last one was a disaster. Couldn't get the storyline right. Har Har. Well, hope you people enjoy this one. It's set in between medieval and modern.

Love Is Ultimately Blind

Chapter 1: The Tortured Slave

A young slave girl called Kimiko Tohomiko carefully swept the floor in fear that her cruel master whipped her on the back again. Lately, she had been receiving a lot of whacks, suffering from terrible bruises which haunt her dreams. "TOHOMIKO!" shouted a very angry voice from outside the kitchen.

Kimiko sighed and propped the mop up against the wall. She wiped her hands on the white apron she was wearing. "Yes, master?" she asked, going out of the kitchen.

"This steak is well done," he bellowed.

"Is there anything wrong with it, sir?" Kimiko asked tiredly. "I cooked it just the way you like it."

Kimiko's master slammed his fist down on the table, making the other dishes clatter. "Today is a Tuesday. I eat my steak raw on Tuesdays. Stupid fool. Why can't you do anything right? You are very lucky that I'm going out tonight or it's the whip for you. GO WITHOUT DINNER! That will teach you not to be so stupid."
Kimiko nodded solemnly and went back to her chores. She cried silently. She had been going without dinner for a whole week and she was as skinny as a bamboo. Her tears dropped onto the floor as she mopped the marble floor of the dining room. Her master had gone out to some gambling club and wouldn't return till past midnight.

She washed the mop and put it into the garden to dry. She trudged tiredly up the stairs and sat down on her bed. From her bedside table, she opened the drawer and took out a small vial of jasmine scented liquid. She took out a red rag and slowly dabbed the liquid onto her arms and legs where her master had hit her that day.

She winced painfully each time she put the liquid onto her legs and arms. She went over to her window and silently prayed. 'Dear Lord, my father has mistreated me since the day my mother died. Pray will you release me from this suffering?'

Then, the main door slammed. Kimiko was startled and she almost dropped the vial. She quickly capped the vial and placed it into her drawer. She quickly ran down the stairs to find her master in a state of great anger. "Master, what is the matter?" Kimiko asked, worridly.

Her master pushed her aside and she hit against the wall. A trickle of warm blood came from her forehead. "You shall come with me to the market tomorrow and be sold with the other slaves," he demanded angrily. "Go up and prepare your best clothes and for Heaven's sake, wash yourself."

He stormed into his own luxurious room and slammed the door shut. Kimiko weeped softly as she went up the stairs to her tiny room. "This is even worse then living in this wretched house," she cried as she sat on her bed. "I could be sold off to some very bad guy who mistreats me more than my father."

She sobbed through the whole night till her pillow was wet.

Well, that's it for the first chapter. I hope you liked it. The next chapter will be longer. I hope you all enjoyed this one. I worked really hard on it. Please review!